Looks pretty darn good to me Harold. How much more do you have left to go?

GreySnake

The carriage is looking very nice Harold. 

 

My dark British green is actually called olive drab, but it is not the same color as U.S. Army olive drab, so I call it dark British green or British O.D. This S.C.C. 15 color is a Mike Starmer Tamiya mix of 5 parts FX-61 Dark Green, 2 parts FX-62 Olive Drab, 2 parts FX-3 Flat Yellow and 1 part FX-53 Neutral Grey to lighten the mix just a touch. I used Mike Starmer's color chip in his British Army Colours & Disruptive Camouflage book.

Harold

The carriage is looking very nice Harold. 

It has been a few weeks since I posted my progress with the Matador. I am waiting on a product from VMS in Poland for clear plastic windows. It will allow me to remove any glue around the windows without damaging the clear plastic. This is important because the Matador has tilt out front ventilation windows with delicate photo-etched hardware.

While I've been waiting, I started an AFV Club late-production British 40mm Quick-Fire Bofors Anti-Aircraft gun the Matador will tow. What you see in the photographs below is the carriage of the gun. By the time the gun is completely assembled it will be almost as high as the top of the Matador.

Harold

Also known as Rob

Really interesting thread. Don't we always learn more from our mistakes than our successes 

 

Harold

So glad to see you posting again Harold.
Was getting really worried here.

Good news on the two Matadors (don't enver the bull) and those tilted wheels look good.
Always lends a bit of dynamic to the build.

Lots of surgery involved?
Mayor one on the Ford Gun Tractor!

Very Best Regards & Stay safe
Svenne

Really interesting thread. Don't we always learn more from our mistakes than our successes 

It has been a few weeks since I posted any progress on the Matador, but I have not given up, just fell back and regrouped.

In my last post I showed the results of using EasyOff oven cleaner to remove a messed up camouflage paint job. As you can see below the oven cleaner took all the paint off except the olive green primer. I left the canopy somewhat unmolested so I could compare the difference. Then I experimented to see what it would take to remove the primer and leaned the Vallejo acrylic surface primer is so strong it even defies an attack of heavy duty oven cleaner.

In the mean time I decided to purchase a second AFV Club Matador model to make the changes I wanted and could not with the first model without doing major damage. On the second Matador I adjusted the steering linkage so the front wheels are in a turning position. I also changed the canopy so the canvas sides and back are rolled up. The front of the cab is waiting on a product that will allow me to clean any glue off that I get on the clear plastic windows.

The first Matador model is waiting on a product that is specifically designed to remove acrylic paint which I will use on the canopy to compare it's effectiveness to oven cleaner. I don't recommend oven cleaner for removing acrylic paint after trying it, mainly because it can chemically etch the plastic and it is difficult to control.

When the second Matador is ready I will give both models a good primer coat and finish coat of S.C.C. 15 British green Tamiya paint. Then I have Ammo and AK Interactive camouflage putty that I will use to create the camo pattern on both models. In making mistakes I have learned a lot of important new techniques and developed a greater understanding of camouflaged painting.

Harold

Cobber I love your attention to detail and your persistence in the face of adversity. Keep it up! I just know this is going to be a sweet beastie in the end.

I remember we had a saying that if Plan A & Plan B don't work just say "F*** it, I'll just John Wayne it." But may I suggest Plan C. If you have it use some Silly Putty to help with your "freehand" camo application. It will help to make clean lines for your camouflage pattern. I hope this helps.

This is most excellent, Sargeant!

I love all of the research you've been putting into this. Love your accuracy on your builds.

TigerII

Hey Harold, excellent work on this British Matador. I like your tri-color scheme.

 

Since I made a mess of the camouflage painting, but the base coat and primer were smooth I decided to try stripping the acrylic paint. I used heavy duty Easy-Off oven cleaner and sealed the model in a zip-lock bag for two-hours. Then I dipped the model in a bowl of Dawn dish soap for about 2-minutes and rinsed the oven cleaner and dish soap off under warm running water. I also used a large flat paint brush to get into small details. The result is what you see below. The oven cleaner took all the paint off down to the primer. Remember the plastic is a yellow color and the primer was an olive-green. So, what you see in the pictures below is a faded olive green primer. There was no sanding, scrubbing or abrasive of any kind. Just a large soft flat modeling paint brush. When the model was clean I dried it with my airbrush and then let it sit for several hours.

Tomorrow I will give the Matador a fresh coat of primer to cover water stains and when the primer is dry, I should be able to give the model a new S.C.C. 15 Olive Drab base coat. Now for the rest of 'Plan-B'. I have ordered two types of camouflage masking putty, AK Interactive #AK8076 and Ammo Mig #AMIG8012. The Mig Jimenez putty will take a while to get here but the AK product should be here by next Monday. I have never used masking putty, but I understand how it works and I am excited to try it on the Mid Production Matador.

Plan-B has a secondary objective. I wanted to change the canopy from all closed to partially opened, but until I messed up the paint I was not willing to take the model a part. Since the Early Type and Mid Type use the same parts I will put a new partially open canopy on the Mid Production Matador shown below.

Harold

Hey Harold, excellent work on this British Matador. I like your tri-color scheme.

Looking good. 

Oh My!

 Now that is looking Good !

Jon, I have a keen interest in British and American aircraft and after Christmas I would like to build several models. An Avro Lancaster Mk-III, Supermarine Spitfire, Boeing B29 Superfortress and Consolidated PBY Catalina. Not all at once of course, but during 2021.

Both my Uncle and my Father were in the Air Force during the Second World War. My Uncle was an RCAF Flying Officer and Pilot of a Lancaster and Spitfire with the RAF in England. My Father was a Technical Staff Sergeant with the 20th Army Air Force in Burma, India.

Regarding enamel paint, I have similar issues in the house. My Wife is very sensitive to paint, so acrylic paint and mild solvents is all I'm allowed to use.

Harold

Harold

I have edited my post to credit MAFVA hosting Mikes notes.

A thought occours, I have a number of the Humbrol acrylics,numbered the same as the Enamels though sadly not as comprehensive a range.

I moved away from enamels for health & Domestic Harmony reasons.

This 'may' give some more mixing options, though I make no claim for the Acrylic ranges' colour accuracy, which I've used for the RAF colours.

Humbrol Acrylics are reasonably easy to get hold of in the UK, usually right next to the Humbrol Enamels, from Hobbycraft or some Hobby shops.  

Jon_a_its

Mike Starmers' definitive article British Vehicle Camouflage, 1939-45

Dated 30th APRIL 2019,  does include Tamiya Mixes.

Mike is pretty active on the Airfix Tribute Forum RAF Vehicles paint schemes which is full of interesting info.

 

 

1. British Army Colours and Disruptive Camouflage in the United Kingdom, France and N.W. Europe, 1936-1945 amended December 2019

2. British Military Camouflage & Colours, Sicily & Italy 1943-1945

3. British Military Camouflage & Colours, Alamen & After 1942-1945

4. British Military Camoulfage & Colours, The Caunter Scheme

I am a great fan of Mike Starmer's research in the field of British Military colours and patterns used during World War II and highly recommend his books. In each book is a sheet of color chips that are not printed, but actual colour chips like the type you would find at a paint store. With each colour chip he indicates the paint he used and, in most cases, it is Humbrol and Revell enamel.

The article you are referring too is an excellent piece of work in which Mike has detailed Tamiya acrylic paint mixes in addition to the enamel paint in his books. And I would venture a guess that Mike considers references he has made to Tamiya acrylic paint a work in progress. For example, in the article Mike indicates S.C.C. 15 Olive Drab can be represented with a mix of Humbrol 150, 159 and 33, or alternative Humbrol 253, 80, 159, 33 and Revell 84. He goes on to say S.C.C. 15 can also be represented with a Tamiya mix of XF81, XF58 and XF71.

When I asked Mike for specific help with a Tamiya acrylic mix that would match S.C.C. 15 he recommended a mix of XF61, XF62 and XF3 and to use Neutral Grey XF53 to lighten the mix. At the time I did not have his books or Neutral Grey, so I used XF66 Light Grey and increased the amount of XF3 and it matched the color chip perfectly.

When I showed Mike what I had done he commented that it was good to see other modelers trying different paint mixes which to me means Tamiya acrylic paint as a substitute for Humbrol and Revell enamel is a work in progress.

Harold

Mike Starmers' definitive article British Vehicle Camouflage, 1939-45 [EDIT: from the mafva.org website]

Dated 30th APRIL 2019,  does include Tamiya Mixes.

Mike is pretty active on the Airfix Tribute Forum RAF Vehicles paint schemes which is full of interesting info.

I have some good news and bad news. I have completed all the assembly and base coat of S.C.C. 15 paint. Waiting now for the camouflage stencil template to arrive so I can complete the rest of the painting and decals. The bad news is I did not take a photograph of the interior painting before I glued the cab together. I did remember to remove the masking tape on the inside of the windows, but I am afraid the interior will need to wait until the painting is all done to be seen.

I also received Mike Starmer's books today and was pleased to see that my S.C.C. 15 Olive Drab paint matches his colour chip perfectly. However, I was surprised to see that his books updated in 2019 did not include Tamiya mixes. But I have no doubt that Mike is the kind of person that will help modelers find the best Tamiya paint to match whatever British colour we are trying to represent.

The photographs below are take with a combination of direct flash camera lighting and indirect LED and incandescent lighting to reproduce the color as it actually appears to my eyes.

Harold

Tanker-Builder

Well;

     It could be used for a camper I guess. Where's their War Surplus office? Oh, by the way How come they sprayed O.D. all over the windows or is that some kind of Preservative I haven't seen before?

 Now, when the paint Job is finished I won't need a Deer Blind that's cramped. I can have a stove to keep warm! Maybe even a Porta-Potty ( Camp potty)

 

Well;

     It could be used for a camper I guess. Where's their War Surplus office? Oh, by the way How come they sprayed O.D. all over the windows or is that some kind of Preservative I haven't seen before?

 Now, when the paint Job is finished I won't need a Deer Blind that's cramped. I can have a stove to keep warm! Maybe even a Porta-Potty ( Camp potty)

GreySnake

Looking very nice Harold. 

 

I have practiced free-hand camouflage painting for a couple of days on art paper and decided to use a combination of forest camo airbrush stencil template and free-hand to apply the Matador camouflage. The stencil set is shown below.

Harold

Looking very nice Harold. 

I'm loving it Harold. As for the freehand camo, practice, practice, practice until you're comfortable. And if it all goes wrong, there's always fishing.

Excelent work so far, especially your reasearch elsewhere on colours.

I look forward to seeing more.

Never say never, but the Matador was associated with the 'Mediums & Heavies'
QF 3.7" AA
BL 4.5" & BL 5.5"  Medium Gun
BL 6-inch 26 cwt Heavy Howitzer
BL 7.2-inch Heavy Howitzer
Accurate Armour or Thunder Models though.

Hey Harold, this project is coming along very, very nicely.

Dodgy

Looking great Harold. I've been otherwise occupied myself for a few days, so not on the computer, or the work bench much.

 

Then with Mike Starmer's help I selected a reasonable representative mixture of British olive drab paint (Sample #2) and got the first coat on tonight. The plan is to get two finish coats on then paint the cab interior before final assembly. While the base coat of olive drab is drying, I am practicing the camouflage pattern of Tamiya Nato Black with my airbrush on art paper. This will be my first ever camouflage paint job and I am a little nervous about doing it free hand.

Harold